NEW DELHI: There is reason for tiger enthusiasts to celebrate: India's wild tiger population has grown 12 per cent in the last four years.
According to the 2010 tiger census, whose results were declared on Monday, there are approximately 1,706 of the big cats in the country, which includes about 70 in the marshes of the Sunderbans, which have never been scientifically surveyed before. The 2006 census had estimated that there were 1,411 tigers, without including any from the Sunderbans.
Thirty per cent of the tiger population lives in areas outside the government's reserves, giving conservationists a new challenge in the effort to protect them.
The celebrations, however, were muted by the decrease in land area where tigers can thrive. “Tiger occupancy areas shrunk from 9 million hectares to less than 7.5 million hectares over the last four years,” said Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh. “This means that tiger corridors are under severe threat, especially in central India…in Madhya Pradesh and northern Andhra Pradesh.”
Not surprisingly, these are the two States that have fared the worst in the census, with tiger populations falling to 213 in Madhya Pradesh and 65 in Andhra Pradesh.
Successful efforts
The largest number of tigers lives in Karnataka – about 280 – and conservation efforts have been successful in the entire Western Ghats area, with Tamil Nadu and Kerala also seeing good results. The Terai belt of grasslands at the Himalayan foothills in Uttarakhand have also done surprisingly well in nurturing their tiger populations.
While Kaziranga in Assam has 100 tigers, the largest in a single reserve, there are worrying signs from the North Eastern area. These forested hills are capable of supporting far more than the number of tigers that were found in the area, but poaching and the pressure of developmental activities have kept the numbers low.
Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Water Resources Minister Salman Khursheed flanked Mr. Ramesh as he announced the census results.“We can deal with the threat of poachers, of the real estate and mining mafias, but it's much harder to deal with the developmental dynamic,” said Mr. Ramesh, pointing to energy projects — whether coal, hydel or nuclear — irrigation schemes, and highway proposals as among the developments endangering tigers and their ecosystem.
“A country of 1.4 billion cannot survive on solar, wind and biogas alone, so we do need commercial sources of energy, but we also need to conserve these forests,” he told Mr. Ahluwalia. “We must decide whether we can afford a 9 per cent growth agenda which would destroy our forests and the cultures and livelihoods that depend on them.” He added that river linking, hydel and irrigation projects could destroy the Panna, Buxa and Valmiki tiger reserves.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Forest official disputes tiger census figures TNN
HYDERABAD: There was a dispute over the number of tigers at the Nagarjuna-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) in the 2010 tiger census. While the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) put the tiger population at the reserve between 53 and 66, K Tulsi Rao, head, biodiversity research, Project Tiger, Srisailam, claimed that the number of cats in NSTR would be around 100.
While agreeing that there was a decline in the number of tigers in the state due to poaching and shrinking of their habitat, Tulsi attributed the rise in tiger population in NSTR to ertain measures introduced by his department.
The NTCA has given a bleak picture of the tiger population in the state. It said that AP and Madhya Pradesh were the only states in the country that have shown decline in tiger population. While giving no figures for the East and West Godavari districts, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram the census claimed that there were only five tigers in the districts of Adilabad, Warangal, Karimnagar and Khammam.
According to forest department officials, the tiger population rose from 102 in 2008 to 106 in 2009.
The figures released by the forest department in 2009 had put the number of tigers in NSTR at 72 as against 65 in 2008. The remaining 24 tigers were spread over other sanctuaries.
Commenting on the present situation Rao said, "At NSTR we have introduced special measures. Chenchus were roped in to act as tiger trackers. They are also protecting them."
Rao, who is also the deputy conservator of forest, put the number of tigers in NSTR at 100, including cubs. "We have captured 25-30 cubs on camera, claimed Rao.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Forest-official-disputes-tiger-census-figures/articleshow/7811037.cms
While agreeing that there was a decline in the number of tigers in the state due to poaching and shrinking of their habitat, Tulsi attributed the rise in tiger population in NSTR to ertain measures introduced by his department.
The NTCA has given a bleak picture of the tiger population in the state. It said that AP and Madhya Pradesh were the only states in the country that have shown decline in tiger population. While giving no figures for the East and West Godavari districts, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram the census claimed that there were only five tigers in the districts of Adilabad, Warangal, Karimnagar and Khammam.
According to forest department officials, the tiger population rose from 102 in 2008 to 106 in 2009.
The figures released by the forest department in 2009 had put the number of tigers in NSTR at 72 as against 65 in 2008. The remaining 24 tigers were spread over other sanctuaries.
Commenting on the present situation Rao said, "At NSTR we have introduced special measures. Chenchus were roped in to act as tiger trackers. They are also protecting them."
Rao, who is also the deputy conservator of forest, put the number of tigers in NSTR at 100, including cubs. "We have captured 25-30 cubs on camera, claimed Rao.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Forest-official-disputes-tiger-census-figures/articleshow/7811037.cms
Two tiger attacks in two days leaves villagers in fear- TNN
CHANDRAPUR: Two tiger attacks in two days have terrorised villagers of Saygata in the Bramhapuri forest range. A villager was mauled in Saygata on Saturday, while another was killed in Mayar on Sunday night by the same tiger.
Sources informed that deceased Anantrao Sondawle (50) from village Mayar had gone to answer nature's call at around 8 pm in his farm on Sunday. The lurking tiger killed him and took his body to the shrubs around 20 feet away.
When Sondawle did not return, villagers searched and found his mutilated body. "The farm is on the fringes of the forest area. Our staff found pug marks near the body. As part of the compensation, we have given Rs 10,000 as ex-gratia to his family. The remaining amount of Rs 2 lakh would be paid after the necessary formalities are completed," said RFO of Bramhapuri range, BJ Mandhre.
Earlier on Saturday, the same tiger had mauled one Murari Ganvir (50) from village Saygata, 5 km from Mayar. Ganvir was collecting mouha flowers in the forest area close to his farm.
After hearing Ganvir's cries for help, farm labourers working in the fields nearby rushed to rescue him. On hearing the alarm raised by the labourers, the tiger left the wounded Ganvir and fled. Ganvir has been admitted to the local government hospital for treatment.
Mandhre informed that jungle patrolling was on when the incident occurred. He added that patrolling has been intensified after the same tiger was spotted in the forest area.
"Since the two villages (Mayar and Saygata) are close to each other, the possibility of the involvement of the same tiger in both the attacks cannot be ruled out," said Mandhre. DCF, Bramhapuri forest division, Sanjay Thawre too claimed that it's the same tiger.
"The jungle is thin and degraded. Moreover, the landscape is knitted with closely-located villages. As it's the season of collecting tendu leaves and mouha flowers, this jungle is frequented by villagers. This could have disturbed the tiger," said Thawre.
Meanwhile, forest officials have advised villagers to remain alert. Efforts are also on to send the beast deep into the forest so that it remains far away from villages.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Two-tiger-attacks-in-two-days-leaves-villagers-in-fear/articleshow/7807756.cms
Sources informed that deceased Anantrao Sondawle (50) from village Mayar had gone to answer nature's call at around 8 pm in his farm on Sunday. The lurking tiger killed him and took his body to the shrubs around 20 feet away.
When Sondawle did not return, villagers searched and found his mutilated body. "The farm is on the fringes of the forest area. Our staff found pug marks near the body. As part of the compensation, we have given Rs 10,000 as ex-gratia to his family. The remaining amount of Rs 2 lakh would be paid after the necessary formalities are completed," said RFO of Bramhapuri range, BJ Mandhre.
Earlier on Saturday, the same tiger had mauled one Murari Ganvir (50) from village Saygata, 5 km from Mayar. Ganvir was collecting mouha flowers in the forest area close to his farm.
After hearing Ganvir's cries for help, farm labourers working in the fields nearby rushed to rescue him. On hearing the alarm raised by the labourers, the tiger left the wounded Ganvir and fled. Ganvir has been admitted to the local government hospital for treatment.
Mandhre informed that jungle patrolling was on when the incident occurred. He added that patrolling has been intensified after the same tiger was spotted in the forest area.
"Since the two villages (Mayar and Saygata) are close to each other, the possibility of the involvement of the same tiger in both the attacks cannot be ruled out," said Mandhre. DCF, Bramhapuri forest division, Sanjay Thawre too claimed that it's the same tiger.
"The jungle is thin and degraded. Moreover, the landscape is knitted with closely-located villages. As it's the season of collecting tendu leaves and mouha flowers, this jungle is frequented by villagers. This could have disturbed the tiger," said Thawre.
Meanwhile, forest officials have advised villagers to remain alert. Efforts are also on to send the beast deep into the forest so that it remains far away from villages.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Two-tiger-attacks-in-two-days-leaves-villagers-in-fear/articleshow/7807756.cms
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